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Holiday Events 2017

Downtown South Bend will be bursting with holiday events and cheer this year, with new Themed Weekends and over 75 holiday events taking place, including visits with Santa, free cookie decorating, a festival of trees, and much more.

Check out all the details below!

New: Themed Weekends

Santa Claus is Coming to Town • Dec. 1-3

Entertainment-filled program at the Gridiron with The Valleyaires, live reindeer, ND Jump Rope Club, costumed characters, and more as we await Santa’s grand entrance to downtown South Bend. Tree lighting, fireworks, and concert to follow Santa’s arrival.Fri., Dec. 1 • 5:30 - 6:45 pm

December First Fridays: Downtown for the Holidays

Downtown businesses will be hosting activities throughout downtown, including holiday open houses at the South Bend Museum of Art and Dismas House, a European Market at Purple Porch Co-op, specials on food, drink, and retail, carolers, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and more!Fri., Dec. 1 • 5 – 9 pm

Jingle Jams Concert

Cookie Decorating

The DoubleTree Atrium
Enjoy free cookie decorating across from the Gridiron in the DoubleTree lobby. Cookie decorating will continue throughout the month of December, but will move to the South Bend Museum of Art Dec. 2.Fri., Dec. 1 • 5 – 9 pm

Deck the Downtown – Dec. 8-10

Lighted floats and walking units will parade down Michigan Street. Community members, local organizations and business are encouraged to join the parade and can download a PDF of the parade application by clicking here. The Holiday Light Parade will be followed by Jingle Jams with Mind Over Motion on the Gridiron.Fri., Dec. 8 • 7-8 pm

Holiday Adventures – Dec. 15-17

Pepsi Stadium Club at Four Winds Field
Special 21+ screening of the holiday classic “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on the video board at Four Winds Field. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Admission is $10 but drinks and snacks will be available for an additional cost.Fri., Dec. 15 • 8-11 pm

Jingle Jams Concert

Winterfest – Dec. 22-24

Century Center’s Bendix Theatre
Kids are invited to wear their pajamas to this free screening of “The Polar Express.” Admission is free but beverages and snacks will be available for purchase.Fri., Dec. 22 • 7-9 pm

How to Find Your Festive FashionAli on the Boulevard
How to Style Your Holiday Looks:
-Jewelry
-Scarf How-To
-Day to Holiday Night Looks
Tickets to attend are $10 and can be purchased on Ali on the Boulevard. Ticket proceeds with be donated to Pet Refuge.Thurs., Dec. 7 • 6-7:30 pm

How to Destress During the Holidays Therapeutic Indulgence
Indulge your senses this holiday season with an aromatherapy bath soak from Therapeutic Indulgence. While shopping for your gifts, don’t forget to practice self care with a little Bath Soak. Join us on Thursday, December 14th during our Open House between 5p - 8p for a Holiday How To: Creating a Homemade Bath Soak! This simple recipe utilizes DoTerra Essential Oils to engage your senses and relax your body from head to toe. Each Bath Soak is $5, with no limit per person. Pre-registration is encouraged, please call 574-520-1664 to let us know you will be there!Thurs., Dec. 14 • 5-8 pm

How to Make Spanish Paella & Craft Holiday Cocktails Tapastrie
Participation is $65.00 per person ($58.50 for Tapastrie Wine and Dine Club members). This will include a glass of Sangria (the first instructional drink) with paella, a taste of the second cocktail and a paella pan to take home. Attendees of the class will also be offered 10% off food if they have dinner before or after the class. Reservations should be made prior to the event by calling Peggy at 574-232-9200.Wed., Dec. 13 • 6:30-8:30 pm

South Bend Museum of Art
Visit the South Bend Museum of Art for free cookie decorating, activities, and to view the Gingerbread Village entries. Check out the galleries while you’re there (free admission) and the unique gift items in the Dot Shop, including the new line of DTSB Merchandise. (Note – cookie decorating will take place at DoubleTree atrium Dec. 1.)Same dates and times as Visits with Santa

Visit Rudolph & The Grinch

Tree & Wreath Sale

The Gridiron
Choose from a variety of fresh, locally-grown trees and wreaths from J & K Tree Farm. While supplies last. Cash only.Dec. 1 – Dec. 17
Same dates and times as Visits with Santa, but only through Dec. 17

Festival of Trees

Holiday Window Display Contest

Throughout downtown
Visit DowntownfortheHolidays for a list of participating businesses, and to vote for your favorite. The winner will be announced Dec. 8 following the Holiday Light parade.Dec. 1 – Dec. 24

Jingle Jams Holiday Concert Series

Free holiday concerts on the Gridiron

The AnglesFri., Dec. 1 • 7-8:30 pm

Mind Over MotionFri., Dec. 8 • 8-9 pm

StarHeartSat., Dec. 16 • 2-3 pm

Trivial NonsenseSat., Dec. 16 • 3-4 pm

Downtown Holiday Trivia & Karaoke Series

Various locations
Attend one of these holiday-themed trivia or karaoke events

Other Downtown Holiday Events

Find the perfect gift in downtown on Nov. 25, and throughout the entire holiday shopping season! Stop by the DTSB Welcome Station at Ziker Cleaners on Jefferson for music, information and fun then head out into the streets of DTSB to take advantage of the special offers that day.Sat. Nov. 25 • 10 am

Four Winds Field
Dress your pooch in holiday finery for this holiday parade! Adoptable dogs will also be on parade. For more information, visit their Facebook event page and click here for a parade application.Sat., Dec. 2 • 10 am

South Bend Museum of Art
Ring in the season with art, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and the eclectic jazz, funk & soulful sounds of The LowLifes at this benefit for TREES, Inc., & the SBMA.Fri., Dec. 8 • 6:30-10:30 pm

Complimentary Chestnuts; Kennedy's Kitchen

Stop by Fiddler’s for some complimentary roasted chestnuts during the December First Fridays. Kennedy’s Kitchen offers up Irish music starting at 9:00pm.Fri., Dec. 1 • 5-10 pm

Kids Make Crackers for our Tree

Kids are invited to make crackers – little wrapped tubes filled with goodies – and exchange them for one of the gingerbread men hanging on our tree anytime up until Christmas Eve. Fiddler’s provides all the materials. No charge.Fri., Dec. 1 - Sun., Dec. 24

Winter Warmer Night

Starting at 5:00pm, some very special craft beers begin taking over a good chunk of the 26 taps at Fiddler’s! Chefs Tony and Phil have some tasty nosh specials planned to pair perfectly with these brews.Mon., Dec 18 • 5 pm

St. Stephen's Day Party

This second day of Christmas is traditionally a community celebration day at the local. Dinner specials starting at 5:00pm will include roast beef & Yorkshire pudding, roast turkey, and Christmas goose. (Regular menu also available.) Festive Irish Music Session begins at 8:00pm with old world carols, costumes, and rabble rousing. Join the rabble rousers and wren boys for some caroling!Tue., Dec. 26

Greenwich New Year's Eve

Celebrate the new year as it arrives in Scotland (7:00pm Indiana time)! $60 per person includes a four course dinner, party hats & noisemakers, live Scottish folk music and the great highland bagpipes, and scotch or champagne toast during the traditional first foot celebration. Festivities start at 6:00pm and finish early enough to get you safely home in plenty of time to watch the apple drop on Times Square. Reservations with $10 deposit required.Sun., Dec. 31

Twelve Days of Christmas

Kids help themselves to the crackers on our tree. These crackers are little gift wrapped tubes filled with candy, tissue paper crown, a joke, and a toy, made by kids visiting Fiddler’s Hearth during the month of December up until Christmas Eve.Through Jan. 6